Pole top fires (Perth power)
Feb 14th 2005, 12:50 pm
#16
Proudly Deplorable
Joined: May 2003
Location: Alloha snack bar
Posts: 24,246
Re: Pole top fires (Perth power)
Originally Posted by MarkMyWords
Good question. Larger insulation gaps? Lower overhead voltages? Still, the particular problem in WA is because the combination of ash and humidity causes persistent build-up of conducting gunge on the pole-tops. High humidity in itself is not such a problem, I think.
Feb 14th 2005, 1:01 pm
#17
Dutch expat/Aus citizen
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2003
Location: South East, Perth (was Holland)
Posts: 5,789
Re: Pole top fires (Perth power)
Originally Posted by Amazulu
I'm an electrical power engineer & can confirm humidity alone would not cause this. The insulators would be designed to allow for this. A build-up of ash, I guess would cause arcing, but I think it would need to have been designed pretty badly. Insulators need to be kept clean (washed actually), this should be done as part of the regular maintenance schedule. Probably what has happened is that the power company has not been doing it's maintenance properly due to budget cuts.
Yep, I'm also wondering when they'll put things underground, and how much that would cost!!
Lol Jacko, very good!
Apparently about 10000 houses were without power at some point, just today.
Oh, and I listened to how they pronounced arcing on the radio, and now it doesn't sounds like friction anymore....
